Why is Monster M1000i interconnect overlooked?

Dave_b, this post made me curious and I just happened to have 2 XLR pairs of M1000i's laying around that I put back into my system replacing the Acoustic Zen reference II XLR's. The most noticeable difference was that the Zen's have a slightly smoother midrange and highs and a touch more definition in the base. The M1000i's on the other hand, seem a little "faster" giving guitar strings for example a little more "speed", "attack" and "bite". The Zen are a little smoother and warmer sounding without giving up resolution or dynamics. Focus, depth, width and height of the soundstage remained the same. In my system (BAT VK-250, VK-31SE, Meridian 588) switching between the Totem 1's and Arro's, the results were consistent and I prefer the Zen's. In a system that needs more "zest" or "jump" the M1000i's may just be the wake up call. At $200 as compared to $500 Zen's the M1000i's are an excellent "budget interconnect" and hold their own across the board, especially considering they can be had much cheaper pre-owned.

It's all synergy!

I have stubbornly resisted spending big bucks on cables, so I have been using an original pair of Monster M-1 and M-1000s through many systems and upgrades.

I bought them in 1986 (?!?!), in order to use with my new Magnepan MG IIIa's, Audio Research SP-9 and Linn LP 12. At that time -- with that equipment which is still respected -- they were supposed to be great, and were allegedly designed by Bruce Brisson of MIT fame.

Nearly 20 years later, I recently subsituted a much more expensive set of Madrigal interconnects, which were supplied with my Mark Levinson 23.5. By comparison, the pricey Madrigal cables sounded TERRIBLE - cloudy, dark, and closed in by comparison.

So I don't know why they are overlooked -- a perfectly good cable in my experience.

i agree with Dave b,Synergy!

I know what your talking about cwlondon...Madrigal cables were always flat, cloudy and darkish in nature. By the way, as I break in the M1000i's I am noticing a wonderfully vibrant midrange that is full of color and palpability! The highs are joining the soundstage with better texture and no overprominence that draws undue attention yo itself...bass is large, coherent and textured...dynamics are the best I've experienced. I think I got lucky mating my sony player to the krell...maybe the .5Meter length has something to do with it?